Even though it’s been almost two years since we were in Thailand, I didn’t wanna keep a review of our amazing resort in Koh Tao from you. First of all – Thailand isn’t known for it’s beautiful beaches for nothing – crystal clear water and white sand beaches wherever you look. Via SunTrips we put together an individual trip from Bangkok to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. On this last stop we decided to stay at the Haad Tien Beach Resort which I wanted to tell you a bit more about in this review.

The Haad Tien Beach Resort is located at Shark Bay on the southern end of the island. Like most of the resorts on Koh Tao it is hard to access and pretty far away from the hustle and bustle of the island. Without a shuttle you’re pretty much stuck in this small bay. The hotel does offer a shuttle service though, which is for free and runs several times a day. However, you have to be flexible and open to some waiting time. If you’re more into action, shopping etc. you should maybe consider getting an accomodation at Sairee Beach. Although in my opinion, it is way more crowded and not as pretty there!

The Shark Bay is only accessible to resort guests, so it’s very calm and clean. Koh Tao is also known as a diving hot spot. If you get lucky you might even see some reef sharks at the bay! This beach is by the way the most beautiful beach on the island. White sand and crystal clear, turquoise water against a breathtaking backdrop. There are also some bast loungers at the beach you can use for free. Same goes for snorkeling equipment you can get at the reception!

The ground level pool is also right at the beach. It is beautifully nestled between palm trees, but still can’t quite keep up with the gorgeous beach (sorry!). It’s not excessively large, but was also never crowded when we were there (Benni even went swimming a few times). We met the hotel’s dive teacher by accident who let us try the diving gear and gave us a little introduction into diving. If you plan on taking a diving course, make sure you have at least 4 days at the resort (this is the shortest course they’ve got).

We had a standard bungalow that was built into the slope. All bungalows have a small, furnished patio with a relatively clear view. The rooms look typical Thai – all made of wood. Because of the panorama windows it’s very bright inside (and a bit scary at night). Our room was clean, the shower big and the bed comfy. Only the tap was squirting and setting the whole bathroom under water.

There is no shop in the resort, so there’s no way of getting any groceries, let alone water. Four bottles a day are provided in each room though, but obviously not enough for two adults in a subtropical climat. Whenever you go to the “city” or port, make sure to buy some extra bottles of water!

Apparently, there’s a Haad Tien Beach Club now aswell. A hotel on the ground, where you stay in rooms rather than bungalows. This hotel wasn’t finished when we were there though, so I can’t say anything about it.

I just l o v e breakfast. And when a breakfast buffet has a wide variety of fruits I’m usually sold. The selection at the Haad Tien was great, there was really more than enough of everything. You could even get stuff cooked at the spot upon request. But with some platters you could really tell that they were standing there for a while already. I know it’s harder keeping things fresh when it’s so moisty and hot. But I kind of except a four-star hotel to keep the breakfast fresh.

For dinner or lunch you can get a little something at the beach bar. The choice isn’t as diverse though and a little expensive for my taste. We always went to the port or Sairee Beach for dinner. There are tons of restaurants to choose from and the possiblity to combine dinner with a little shopping.

So, after overwhelming you with tons of information and pictures I’m more than curious if any one of you has been to Koh Tao or even the Haad Tien Beach Resort before? If so, what was your impression? Or do you recommend something else? 🙂

I’ll soon write a Thailand Travel Recap on all the destinations which will also include the best things to do and see around Koh Tao!